this post was submitted on 30 Jun 2023
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Mate, 95% of the world's population lives in worse conditions than US, what higher quality of life are you talking about?
I think you might not be from the US, or live in a bubble here. All around me are people on the verge of homelessness, who can't afford basic medical care, who work multiple jobs to afford rent and food, who can't afford daycare for their kids while they work. There are plenty of places where things are far worse, but there's also plenty of places where things are far better. Most western european workers get way more time off, unions, better medical care. Brazil has free medicine. China has wayyyy cheaper (and just as good) medical care. Granted these places have other problems, but I can't say that the US has anywhere near the best quality of life for an average worker.
I'm from Western Europe. Housing is much much more expensive here. If you're on a verge of homelessness in US, I have bad news for you.
In any case, billions of people can't even dream of US quality of life. That's just a fact. Your medical care might be expensive, but you have it, most people don't have access to modern medicine at all. Hundreds of millions don't have access to clean water. I don't think you understand how people live elsewhere.
Even if what you're saying is true, and nowhere exists on Earth where there is a high quality of life, it doesn't mean we shouldn't aim to get there.
You can aim for whatever you want, but how's that's relevant to the discussion?
This in Western Europe? I live in northern Europe and have traveled a lot throughout all western Europe. Where the heck is this squalor you're talking about exactly? Please be geographically specific.
I live in the UK. What do you want to know exactly?
It is much worse here in Latin America where you have European cost of life but Latin American wages.
Ah yes, 'some people are starving so be happy you're only struggling to pay rent'
US has one if the most affordable housing in the world https://www.numbeo.com/property-investment/rankings_by_country.jsp?title=2023-mid&displayColumn=6
Yeah, you should be very happy.
I think its worth taking a look at how this index is calculated: https://www.numbeo.com/property-investment/indicators_explained.jsp This is taken from an investment rather than housing standpoint. The US is great for people who invest in housing as landlords, not so much for those that must rent from them. One of the measures in your index is rental profitability, which is great for some and terrible for many. Our rental situation also varies dramatically in different regions. I live in California, where it is very bad. No prospect for home ownership unless you are very wealthy, and insane rent (most of our exploding homeless population is local people priced out of the market). Also note that the average wage in the united states is significantly higher than the median wage. This is because the US has fairly high inequality for a western country and we have a lot of crazy rich people who act as outliers. This does not make life better for working Americans.
It's way better than living in many post colonial states, but a lot of countries such as France or Germany or Sweden or Denmark simply have a staggeringly higher quality of life for working class people, and the quality of life for working class Americans has also been diving downhill in recent years due to a number of developing crises. Median wage has shot down, even as inflation has spiked. Our hospitals are critically understaffed, and medical debt has exploded.
You mentioned you were from the UK, and you have my sympathy. It sounds like the UK is also suffering from similar crises, but to a greater degree, especially this past winter. I don't doubt that it may currently be rougher in many ways for the average working class Brit than the average working class American. Though I still envy the NHS.
You see, the problem is that advanced Western countries are home to about 10% of world's population. That still leaves 90% living in worse conditions.
Yes, California has very high prices, but you can just pack your stuff and move to a neighbour state. If you live in Syria or India you can't really move anywhere because all your neighbours are not that better.
Also have you ever noticed how migrants from poor countries often end up being landlords and businessmen? I moved to UK from a poor country some years ago, it took me just two years to buy a flat. Yet Brits complain non stop how expensive their properties are and how everyone will be stuck renting forever. And I guess they will unless they change their attitudes and start working hard and responsibly. I believe the same applies to US.
Ah, so you're a landlord? That explains things.
Ah, so you're a landlord? That explains things.
Landlord and cops are both always bastards
Now that's just wrong
That's just a fact.
95% of Western Europe has better qol than the US
So?